Sport in Education

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to be in Wellington (on behalf of NZATE) with staff from the 24 schools who take part in the Sport in Education initiative.
These schools deliver curriculum in a variety of ways that take sport as a context or sporting values as a way of shaping education. Teachers came from mainly Health and Pe, English, Maths, Science and Social Science fields. I spent a large part of the day with a group of English teachers sharing how English worked in the programme in their schools.

The day began (after a wet and wild flight up the island) with a high energy key note address.

Key Note: Susie Stevens (a few notes) 

One size does not fit all - the danger of standardisation. 

Trapped by the barriers, of language. 

Guided by the language we use to define education - GATE, reading recovery , accelerated, special education. Always trying to get back to the norm. But what is actually the norm? 

Change in education is not easy - change is compared to death - there's grief (Kubler Ross) 

Is it possible to get change in education without a cape and undies? 

- there's needs to be a reason for the change

- resist labelling those on board and those not- empathise not criticise 

- need systems to support 

Change is hard -as the Child President reminds us 

It's hard to break out of subject silos - but we need to remind ourselves of what is the vision of the curriculum document?

Think about the skills a 'Bomb disposal technician'  - Bomb technicians learn how to engage in effective communication, analytical thinking, teamwork and individual work while under stress and in dangerous conditions. 
These could come from many of our curriculum statements.

What about the jobs that don't exist? Do kids hate Maths? Or hate the fact that they don't understand it? Or it is in no context? 

Differences and 'sameness' 

We cultivate a culture of sameness 

- for ease 

- for power 

- we've always done it this way

If a flower doesn't grow, do we blame the flower? 

Who/What do we blame - the environment.

We want students to grow, get the right environment. That's what we are in charge of and what we are charged with doing - creating the right environment. 

English Subject Cluster - some shared ideas 

- many changes

- focus on active learning - not just sports active learning - making pens

- start small

- mainly junior schools

- end of year all buy in - all subjects - Olympics - bringing outside in as well 

- target a Yr11 focus class 

- literacy based inquiry 

- learning to learn behaviours - creating a community with values - team culture 

- theme based units 'the big deal' healthy community - move towards a more integrated approach 

- change in class attitude but teacher collaboration has been great 

- Yr 11 kayaking - trip to Waitangi included history and English - all work done by all kids across all subjects 

- all boys schools / all boys classes 

- follow a team/competition - history, most expensive player etc Euro16

- speech on their chosen sport on how to get to the elite level in their sport 

-  'the best year teaching of my life' 

- a privilege to be part of this class 

- Eng/PE/Maths - issue of the timetable allowing this 

- active learning - mini teams - building a culture - build in an expedition for this - round the campfire 

- similar language across the classes -eg energisers - integrated assessments 

- why do we lose the 'learn through play' 

- high technology 

- all teachers involved in all activities - teachers build the relationship 

- science of meta-cognition 

- 4 week training with military trainer 

How do we create an environment that allows our learners to do the best that they can do? A shared context? How do we translate to NCEA? 

- active education 

- parts of speech relays

- scavenger hunts for revision 

Level 1- teachers meet every week around the class - shared approach - shared values through sport - great for English text choices 'the body's response to exercise' - needs to be timetabled as a cohort

After a great day, I'm pretty keen to get my own school involved!